With the worsening power crisis in this part of Southern Mindanao, comes this peace of news….
In separate news reports today, March 09, 2010, from the online editions of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Standard and other national media outlets, it was gathered that food and beverage behemoth San Miguel Corporation is building a 150-megawatt to 300-MW power plant in General Santos City!
This came about with the acquisition of San Miguel Corporation, of Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., a coal plant based in South Cotabato, of the Guingonas, which has the rights over one of the Philippines’ richest coal deposits. This one is located at Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu.
According to San Miguel president Ramon Ang, “a switch-on ceremony is being planned for the construction of a mine-mouth power plant”, which will cost from $150 million to $300 million, at a cost of $1 million per megawatt.
He added that initially the coal-fired power plant would generate 150 MW to 300 MW of electricity but could be increased depending on coal production. His people are now in the process of securing the permits and other requirements needed for both the coal mine and coal plant.
If plans don’t miscarry, construction of the coal plant in General Santos City will start within the year and will be completed by 2012.
The report further revealed that “Another coal mining company, Sultan Energy Philippines Corp., has started test production of its Daguma coal field. Sultan Energy holds a separate coal operating contract in the Daguma coal field covering 7,000 hectares“.
Hydroelectric power plants provide the bulk of Mindanao’s power requirements but they have limited capabilities now due to low water inflow to reservoirs.
The Agus power plant of National Power Corp. have an available capacity of 65 MW out of the total rated output of 727 MW. The Pulangi plant, also owned by Napocor, provides 20 MW out of the total rated capacity of 255 MW.
San Miguel has been intensifying its investments in the power sector. It now owns the 620-MW Limay bunker-fired power plant and trading the 1,000-MW contract of the Sual coal-fired power plant.
San Miguel is also vying for the 246-MW Angat power plant up for bidding next month. – MANILA STANDARD TODAY
[…] Mag found out that San Miguel Corporation is hell-bent of pursuing its initial plan to build a coal-fired power plant in General Santos City with the acquisition of more coal mines in the Soccskargen […]
Ano na kaya update dito?
@aldrin: Ewan ko sa iyo. Suggestion ko lang ha, imbes na sayangin mo ang energy at talino mo sa kakapromote mo dito ng coal-fire power plant mo edi sana nilaan mo na lang ang mga talent to promote your beloved Mis.Occ. as the best place to put up a coal-fired power plant. Na-isip mo rin ba yon fren?
Tama ka, mayaman kami rito…mayaman kami sa likas na yaman…kaya nga may “Yaman GenSan Awards” kaming ginaganap every year eh…Gets mo? hehehe 😉
To Toink:
Ang sabi ko hindi yan makasira sa environment. Cguro ikaw mayaman ka jan sa inyo kaya nasabi mo ung ganyan.Paano na ung mga tambay jan.Alam mo ang ashes sa coal plant puede gawing bricks.Puedeng pagkitaan sa mga tao jan.Ayaw ko nang makipagtalo sa mga taong di tumatanggap ng katwiran.Close minded ka eh
@aldrin: Ang imong pagka pilosopo dili mu-work sa amo. Kung gusto ka, diha na lang sa inyong dapit itukod ang coal-fired power plant, ok? As in diha gyud sa tapad sa inyong mansion. Kay wala juy luna para diri sa among bukid ang imong ginapangandoy nga coal power plant. PagUswag through cheap power produced by coal power plant? Sinong nagsabi na yun lang ang natatanging paraan? Let me guess, sila yung mga hakog na gustong kumita in no time flat noh?…tama ba ko? and at the expense of our very own surrounding? Inyoha na lang nang “uswag” package na inyong gina offer!…isaksak nyo sa mga baga nyo at namnamin nyo nang husto habang buhay pa kayo. hehehe peace!
To Toink:
If you do not accept my theory then bear the long brown-outs there in the future.Do you know brown-outs cause lack of opportunity?Do you know hydroelectric power plant is affected by dry season just like el nino last year? Anyway I do not come from GenSan I come from Mis.Occ.Better put it in there to provide job opportunity there and bring progress there.Then we will just transmit to you the surplus power to your place through long wires that is prone to breakdowns and bombings of lawless elements.Better if there are investors to your hydroelectric plant.How about if there is none then you will be left behind of progress there and also it takes 6 yrs. to finish hydroelectric plant while coal power takes only 2 yrs. Even you contributes to global warming through exhaling Carbon Dioxide if you do not want to contribute to global warming put yourself as an example stop breathing.
@aldrin: Ayaw ko, ayaw kong isipin at paniwalaang isa kang “anak ng ewan”. Hihihihi Peace! <3
@aldrin: Dong, ka-ona ang imong symbiosis “igit” nga theory. Gastos ba imong gina worry? Mao gani gina emphasize nako nga “ALL WE NEED ARE THE RIGHT INVESTORS.” Nakasabot kag simple English…?
ToToinks:Yes you can development clean resources in mindanao but it takes time to finish to them and it cost more than double the coal fired power plant. Say for example building a hydroelectric power plant in lake sebu,that might be barred by natives in the place of being flooded if dam is being built there.Also solar power plant gives power only in the daytime remember we need power mostly in the evening to light our homes.
To Toinks,yes we cannot hold the huge carbon dioxide that comes out from the coal fired power plant but we a way to counter act it by plant more trees.Remember plants such as trees inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen.Remember symbiosis lesson in elementary.Mga bugok man diaw mo!!!
Cost (Hazard) – Benefit Analysis must come into play in this issue…
More than being concerned about the future of our next generations, it is our greatest responsibility to take good care of what’s been entrusted to us as highest form of living creature on Earth.
@toinks, if this is prize to pay of having a coal plant in our place then better we have to reject this proposal at the highest level. Its not bad only bad to our health but to our Mother earth as well. Kasi I believe if we want to generate power electricity in our city, we should find other non harmfull alternatives such as the solar energy.
Guys, when Southern Mindanao was plagued by daily blackouts reaching up to 18 hours during summer of last year, I was willing to support any project which would ensure me that the same ordeal will not happen again in the future. The announcement of firms venturing into coal fire powered plants to help augment the dwindling power supply of the island was something that gave hope to most of us, including me. But then again, it is easy to rush into things when emotions take over. For most of us, I therefore agree that a thorough study on the arguments of both sides of the issue should be made. Only then will we find out the truth or whether the presence of a coal-fired power plant in this area or anywhere else in the Phils would really help us or just wreck havoc on our lives and the lives of our children.
Addendum: “in burning the coal it produces HUGE HUGE amounts of carbon dioxide and DUSTS particles—–>in a DAILY basis!” ti-aw mo na?
What’s is dirty in coal plants is the burning of coals to produce heat that boils the water to run the turbines through the steam produced in boiling the water…the turbines then produce the electricity…in burning the coal it produces HUGE HUGE amounts of carbon dioxide and DUSTS particles…this dust can be controlled but can you hold carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere? mura lang kag naga wish hakopon ang utot kay nahadlok ka muhungaw…carbon dioxide when released into the atmosphere causes the rapid rise in temperature of the immediate surroundings (GenSan included) and not to mention it adds up to the deterioration of the ailing ozone layer!…karon asa pa mo?…naa tay seven falls diha lake sebu nga perting kakusog sa agus sa tubig we can make use of it to produce power through hydro systems without killing the existing tourism industry there…ALL WE NEED ARE THE RIGHT INVESTORS.
@aldrin: If you know all about this technologies and stuffs, were you not aware of the technologies that utilizes clean sources of energy to produce power? WHY ALL THE COAL WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE CLEAN SOURCES? Hypocrisy, eh?…or something fishy? Grrr…
Tuloy ba ‘to?
As for me the Generals referendum is very important whether the people of Gensan accepts this coal plant thing. We Should be educated the pros & cons since not all knows what is the advantages & disadvantages of this coal plant.
We should not be afraid of coal fired power plant nowadays because we have now the technology to clean the exhaust air of the said plant before releasing it to atmosphere. That said plant will bring progress in Gensan and its surrounding towns. Remember power is life. To all blockers of the said project you do not know what you are saying.Go go coal fired power plant in GenSan
REALLY A DISGUSTING FISHY THING GOING ON…WE MUST BE VIGILANT AND NEVER LET THIS RUBBISH THRIVE AROUND US. GRRR!!!
Is this the answer to the temporary problem on power outage? i don’t take so. We have experienced this before when Ramos was nearing the end of his term. Now, Ramos enjoys his enormous shares (if not owning largely some IPPs) in the independent power producing sector. Now, GMA is dancing on the same rhythm with the former president. But, on the other way around with this proposed establishment of coal-fired plants here in SOCSARGEN. I guess we Generals are not foolish enough to ride on this ploy. When will we realize this clandistine maneuver? There is unseen hand playing on this power outage currently besetting us. While it is true that there is really a problem on power generation in Mindanao due to El Nino, we should be cautious enough not to lay flat on the ground and allow some quarters to screw us blindly and helplessly! If we discuss on the environmental hazards that it would cause us in the long run, no amount of space here will cover it. We shall not rest our pens, PCs and laptops for now! We must be vigilant and fight for what is just and fair!
Korek jud Cristina. tama jud.
Yes guys SAY NO TO COAL POWER PLANT !!!!!! it is bad for the environment since it emits CO2. I understand that it is a huge company . they might entice everyone that it could generate work to locals. yes that is true . that is only temporary. paano kng maubos na ang coal? e di wala na ring trabaho at sunog na tayo sa init ng mundo. kung yong malalaking bansa nga ang alternative nila ay wind turbines or hydro electric power from their dams na. kung sino man ang aaprove ng proposal na yan dapat sunugin .Tama kayo guys dapat magka-isa tayo dito.
Tulad ng Iceland , dahil maraming bulkan doon ginamit nila ito to create geothermal plant. ang mura ng binabayaran nila sa koryente kahit na magheater pa sila whole day lalo na kng winter.
Guys if you have time please do watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khK_QTWl5Nc
No matter what they say, the answer to the coal power plant project will always be NO!. as in NO WAY! ever!
Ever wonder why Davao generally have lower average temperature than Socsargen? Habang tayong mga tanga ay nagtataka at nagrereklamo sa init na hindi mawari kung bakit, ay Davao is utilizing its natural abundance to draw sources of energy to power industries in its locality…does anyone know about Mt. Apo geothermal power plant? What about the ever growing number of small yet ever efficient hydroelectric power plants in Davao’s watersheds? Davao is acknowledging its gifts from nature and she giving back to it by taking care of it…should we as well Generals and Socsargen people?
HHHAY NAKU! kung kaya naman pala noon pa eh parang impyer** na sa kainit dito ay dahil pala sa mga tuna canning factories na ‘yan ay nagsusunog na din pala ng sangkatutak na uling…di ba? pansinin n’yo mga lugar kung nasaan yang mga factories na yan, hindi ba extra ordinarily dry, barren-like deserts? my goodness…sighs. be observant generals!!!…ang hirap kasi sa atin reklamo tayo ng reklamo shoshonga shonga naman tayo sa mga nangyayari sa palipaligid natin.
wind in gensan or seguel,maasim is not consistent. certain hours of the day lang dw mahangin doon. i doubt investors will be attracted to such.
by the way, di ba mga canning/fishing companies are using coal as fuel in their production? baka naman invaded na tayo long time ago pa & yet we just do not know about it.
basta ako, imbyerna na sa brown-out. period.
kung inis man ako sa coal-plant proponents, mas inis ako sa mga pulitikong present lang kung election and motto “di ko kayo pababayaan”-local version here in our city.
gikalimtan jud sa gobyerno ang Mindanao. i hope the problem would be addressed soon.
love peace, not war!
I would like to HATE SAN MIGUEL CORP. mainit na nga ang GenSan papa initin pa nila. Ano ba ang tingin nila sa SOCSARGEN basurahan? na lagayn ng mga lecheng pahamak na basura?
[…] SMC building $300million power plant in GenSan | GenSan News Online Mag […]
sa gensan city ba talaga itatayo ang power plant na yan or sa south cotabato province? ty
Coal Mining and Coal generating power plant will provide great economic activity to the city and its surrounding areas. Plus given the fact that it will stabilize the electricity supply in the area.
I think – the city of Gensan should welcome the idea of it but be very careful with the environmental requirements. Coal burning is a very big source of pollution and its great result is global warming like the US is doing now. It will also contaminate the source of water for the area – depending how the waste will be processed.
Also, hope that the coal mining operation will not affect the lake and all living organizms in the area.
Generals must be careful with this developments – it will be good for the present but, how about the future – will the pollution and contamination be properly addressed so not to cause problems?
Research coal mining and coal plants in the internet to be aware of the possible future the Generals will be facing… The one in state of PA ( Centralia PA ) and the about the “waste coal problem or solid mining refuse” each coal plant in the US is facing.
I think that the idea about the horizontal axis wind turbines will also be an ideal option.However,since the issue about the coal-fire has long become the object of discussion,it would also be a good consideration as long as the argument as to whether it can harm the environment can easily be resolved.These days where environmental issue is highly critical,I’d like to believe that personalities behind the brilliant idea on coal-fire recourse have thought about this very extensively and must have considered measures as to how to protect our environment before putting this at the core.And assuming that safety measures would be properly ensured on the environment issue,it is not too bad to make it an option during this phenomenon where power outage is an outblast…
the wind turbines are better options, environmentally… 🙂
It would be better that this matter will be deliberated well.
coal fired power plants leaves carbon footprints in our environment…. not the best option. mas maganda kung magtatayo sila ng mga horizontal-axis wind turbines. we are experiencing high winds in gensan lagi. i think that’s a good sign.
Coal fired, of course may bad effect sa environment. Environment friendly ang solar and wind generators.
that’s good news. pero dapat walang epekto yan sa environment natin. it should be environment friendly.